Council Wants More Info On Plan For Riverfront Land

DETROIT (WWJ) – Mayor Dave Bing is facing some opposition in his plan to tear down a longstanding Detroit Riverfront landmark.

Tuesday, members of the Detroit City Council, including Kwame Kenyatta, said they want to see a solid plan for the use of the riverfront land on which Ford Auditorium sits before they approve the building’s demolition.

“I’m not necessarily supportive of just tearing it down and not having anything in place, because as member Cockrel said, we’ve got a lot of those situations. So, what’s the rush to tear it down?” Kenyatta said.

“What I heard today is that we’re going to put it out for bid and ask people to submit proposals… that sounds like they don’t have a plan,” he said.

Bing has asked Council to approve a nearly $800,000 demolition contract paid for with federal dollars.

Council members have put the vote on hold until they can get more details on what Bing and the Econimic Growth Corporation plan to do with the valuable land.

Ford Auditorium, built in 1955, has been vacant since the Detroit Symphony Orchestra left in 1989.